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Rogue Angel #13
Gabriel's Horn
The stranger could be insane. Or he just might be our salvation.
Archaeologist Annja Creed is more than curious when a decrepit, ancient-looking man visits her, claiming the end of the world is near. The stranger spins wild tales and speaks as if he actually knew King Arthur. But, strangest of all, he insists that Annja is the only one who can stop the horrible event that is about to happen.
When Annja's mentor and friend Roux goes missing, she quickly realizes there may be something to the stranger's stories. Making her way through the dark and violent underbelly of Istanbul, Annja must find her missing friend and the Holy Grail before the relic gets
into the wrong hands. She may not fully believe the fate of the world is on the line, but she doesn't really want to die fi nding out.
Archaeologist Annja Creed is more than curious when a decrepit, ancient-looking man visits her, claiming the end of the world is near. The stranger spins wild tales and speaks as if he actually knew King Arthur. But, strangest of all, he insists that Annja is the only one who can stop the horrible event that is about to happen.
When Annja's mentor and friend Roux goes missing, she quickly realizes there may be something to the stranger's stories. Making her way through the dark and violent underbelly of Istanbul, Annja must find her missing friend and the Holy Grail before the relic gets
into the wrong hands. She may not fully believe the fate of the world is on the line, but she doesn't really want to die fi nding out.
314 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2007
11 people are currently reading
536 people want to read
About the author
Alex Archer
99 books237 followersA house name for the Rogue Angel series, published by the Harlequin Publishing's Gold Eagle division.
The first eight novels were written by Victor Milan and Mel Odom. New writers joining the series starting with book nine include Jon Merz and Joseph Nassise.
The first eight novels were written by Victor Milan and Mel Odom. New writers joining the series starting with book nine include Jon Merz and Joseph Nassise.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 29, 2010
This book was MUCH better than the last few have been. I really would love to know who wrote this book. You can tell whoever it was actually gets the storyline and doesn't come up with crap like the last book.
Archaeologist Annja Creed actually gets to look for an artifact that may or may not be Gabriels Horn; something that per legend will end the world if it falls into the wrong hands. The wrong hands this time appear to be Roux, and not Garin. She also gets into several running battles with competitors of Roux who want a painting that leads to Gabriels Horn.
Surprisingly, Garin actually plays a fairly good guy in this novel. He saves Annya more than once, and he also ends up not stealing the artifact. Garin still rankles me a bit, however, when he gets so demanding with Annya and demands that she go to dinner with him, then sends a dress maker to her room. Of course, they end up in an ambush; as if that's new! *Wouldn't it be nice to actually have a person like Garin who sends a dressmaker and make-up person to pamper you with? Just saying!
Then there's the mysterious George, a man who dresses as though he is homeless, but knows all about Annya's sword and her destiny. I'm still not sure who he is and the book never really says either, but he does save the day in the end. He also warns Annya that Roux can not get his hands on Gabriels Horn or else the world will end.
*This is the one reason I reduced my rating; who is this guy!
Annya's best friend and NYPD Detective Bart actually appears more in this novel than any of the previous ones combined. I like Bart, but at times I wish Annya would actually tell him what is going on with her. It would make the relationship so much better now that he's not married.
Then you have the mysterious Saladin and Salome who are all after a certain painting. Saladin and Garin have a history it appears, and Salome used to be Roux's assistant before she stole his notebook that contained a list of artifacts that Roux is looking for.
The action is pretty much non stop from the first chapter when Annya is an advisor on a film and mysterious men with green scimitars on their necks try to kill her, (they work for Saladin) to the ending where Annya and Garin find Gabriel's Horn and end up in a running gun fight in Turkey.
Archaeologist Annja Creed actually gets to look for an artifact that may or may not be Gabriels Horn; something that per legend will end the world if it falls into the wrong hands. The wrong hands this time appear to be Roux, and not Garin. She also gets into several running battles with competitors of Roux who want a painting that leads to Gabriels Horn.
Surprisingly, Garin actually plays a fairly good guy in this novel. He saves Annya more than once, and he also ends up not stealing the artifact. Garin still rankles me a bit, however, when he gets so demanding with Annya and demands that she go to dinner with him, then sends a dress maker to her room. Of course, they end up in an ambush; as if that's new! *Wouldn't it be nice to actually have a person like Garin who sends a dressmaker and make-up person to pamper you with? Just saying!
Then there's the mysterious George, a man who dresses as though he is homeless, but knows all about Annya's sword and her destiny. I'm still not sure who he is and the book never really says either, but he does save the day in the end. He also warns Annya that Roux can not get his hands on Gabriels Horn or else the world will end.
*This is the one reason I reduced my rating; who is this guy!
Annya's best friend and NYPD Detective Bart actually appears more in this novel than any of the previous ones combined. I like Bart, but at times I wish Annya would actually tell him what is going on with her. It would make the relationship so much better now that he's not married.
Then you have the mysterious Saladin and Salome who are all after a certain painting. Saladin and Garin have a history it appears, and Salome used to be Roux's assistant before she stole his notebook that contained a list of artifacts that Roux is looking for.
The action is pretty much non stop from the first chapter when Annya is an advisor on a film and mysterious men with green scimitars on their necks try to kill her, (they work for Saladin) to the ending where Annya and Garin find Gabriel's Horn and end up in a running gun fight in Turkey.
July 23, 2019
3.5 stars.
The whole gang is present for this one. But I did think there's a bit of a continuity issue at the start with Garin asking Annja out for the promised date. I'm sure she'd already had a date with him on the cruise ship a couple of books back in Provenance. I think that's the problem when you have different authors writing the books.
Regardless, another action-packed episode with some complex relationship dynamics between Roux and Garin.
The whole gang is present for this one. But I did think there's a bit of a continuity issue at the start with Garin asking Annja out for the promised date. I'm sure she'd already had a date with him on the cruise ship a couple of books back in Provenance. I think that's the problem when you have different authors writing the books.
Regardless, another action-packed episode with some complex relationship dynamics between Roux and Garin.
July 10, 2020
I enjoyed this a lot. I'd so ship Garin and Annja 🥰
Lots of action and I always love it if we get to know more about Roux and Garin's relationship and backstory.
Lots of action and I always love it if we get to know more about Roux and Garin's relationship and backstory.
December 6, 2010
Much better than the last one. And a ramping up of the romantic tensions between Garin and Roux. Roux was certainly a surprise! Gabriel's Horn starts out with a movie stunt gone wrong and quickly segues into Garin's long-awaited date culminating in an attack on Annja.
Poor Annja is under fire (and supported) by all the men in her life along with a new, possibly immortal, cryptic character who needs her help in preventing the end of the world.
I really don't know what Annja would do without the Internet, chat rooms, and email.
Poor Annja is under fire (and supported) by all the men in her life along with a new, possibly immortal, cryptic character who needs her help in preventing the end of the world.
I really don't know what Annja would do without the Internet, chat rooms, and email.
October 31, 2023
This is an entertaining example of pulp fiction. I could almost have given it a 4, especially in that particular category, but 3 stars feels more fair. Kinda fun; a few slow bits; a fun new character; an ending that came abruptly. Good, then, not great. 3 stars.
Part of the pleasure of these books, like any series, is stepping immediately into a story with characters you know. It makes the early parts of the book more fun than other books. Less work. That easy entrance is one of the main attractions of this series.
Annja Creed is always a fun character, too. She's reasonably believable (certainly within the bounds of the genre) and resorts to violence only where necessary. So she finds herself in lots of action, though not gratuitous violence. (Compare to, say, Mack Bolan, which is also entertaining, but includes a lot more killing.) In this episode, she's tracking down a painting that both of her mentors want, but it is also being pursued by two separate groups of murderous bad guys and their henchmen. The painting, once located, leads to another object that is very dangerous.
So, I guess it's two maguffins. Maguffi. I don't know. But it works fine.
Some of it is less thrilling. TBH, I have little interest in what Roux and Garin are doing. Their scenes are always slow. But a new character, old Charlie, is interesting, and may have a cool backstory. I wonder if we'll see more of him. I hope so.
Anyway, this is a decent entry in the series. It takes itself just about as seriously as you'd like it to, and it has plenty of ancient riddles and the like. Recommended for those already reading the series, primarily.
Part of the pleasure of these books, like any series, is stepping immediately into a story with characters you know. It makes the early parts of the book more fun than other books. Less work. That easy entrance is one of the main attractions of this series.
Annja Creed is always a fun character, too. She's reasonably believable (certainly within the bounds of the genre) and resorts to violence only where necessary. So she finds herself in lots of action, though not gratuitous violence. (Compare to, say, Mack Bolan, which is also entertaining, but includes a lot more killing.) In this episode, she's tracking down a painting that both of her mentors want, but it is also being pursued by two separate groups of murderous bad guys and their henchmen. The painting, once located, leads to another object that is very dangerous.
So, I guess it's two maguffins. Maguffi. I don't know. But it works fine.
Some of it is less thrilling. TBH, I have little interest in what Roux and Garin are doing. Their scenes are always slow. But a new character, old Charlie, is interesting, and may have a cool backstory. I wonder if we'll see more of him. I hope so.
Anyway, this is a decent entry in the series. It takes itself just about as seriously as you'd like it to, and it has plenty of ancient riddles and the like. Recommended for those already reading the series, primarily.
August 26, 2020
I've really enjoyed this series of books but THIS one left me very dissatisfied. It felt like Alex needed to finish the book, barfed up a bad ending, and called it a day. The straw that broke the camel's back in this one was, how does someone get shot in the HEAD, blood is gushing EVERYWHERE, and on the very next page they're running around like it never happened? There's not a SINGLE word mentioned about the critical injury again, it may as well never have happened.
It reminded me of one of the last books Robert Heinlein wrote. The good guys had almost lost, you're on the edge of your seat wondering how on EARTH are they going to get out of this one? Then, you found out earth had nothing to do with it. A cloud popped up in the air, a giant staircase rolled down from it, and fricken' SUPERHEROES come charging down the staircase and save the day.
Robert Heinlein was in bad shape and was dying at the time. It was a gallant effort but, his brain had gotten so foggy that he just COULDN'T come up with a decent ending so he pulled the "and then the little boy woke up" ending out of his hat and finished the book. This book made me feel EXACTLY like that.
I can forgive Heinlein, but I don't know if I can forgive Alex Archer. Alex has written a ton of books since then. I'm hoping the rest of the books in the series aren't as COMPLETELY dissatisfying as this ruined piece of garbage. Shame on you Alex for the shoddy, PATHETIC ending to this book.
It reminded me of one of the last books Robert Heinlein wrote. The good guys had almost lost, you're on the edge of your seat wondering how on EARTH are they going to get out of this one? Then, you found out earth had nothing to do with it. A cloud popped up in the air, a giant staircase rolled down from it, and fricken' SUPERHEROES come charging down the staircase and save the day.
Robert Heinlein was in bad shape and was dying at the time. It was a gallant effort but, his brain had gotten so foggy that he just COULDN'T come up with a decent ending so he pulled the "and then the little boy woke up" ending out of his hat and finished the book. This book made me feel EXACTLY like that.
I can forgive Heinlein, but I don't know if I can forgive Alex Archer. Alex has written a ton of books since then. I'm hoping the rest of the books in the series aren't as COMPLETELY dissatisfying as this ruined piece of garbage. Shame on you Alex for the shoddy, PATHETIC ending to this book.
June 1, 2019
If you can believe that King Arthur talks to present-day people, what's not to believe in that Gabriel's Horn can end the world? Past meets present in a teeth-jarring end-of-the-world-kind of way, complete with Arthur's true Lady Love! I love a happily-ever- tomorrow!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2019
Great book! A page turner for the end, because I couldn't stop reading. I loved all the characters and their roles in it.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
November 21, 2021
One of the things I really can't stand is people who don't do their research on small, nitpicky, technical things. In this book, which is I think one of the best books in a series so far, whoever the author is decided to have a 50 caliber machine gun fire from the door gunner of a helicopter.
Just no.
If you don't get why I say this, you've very seen a M2HB in action.
Anyway, like I said, I think this book is the best in the series so far. And that's all about I will say.
Cheers.
Just no.
If you don't get why I say this, you've very seen a M2HB in action.
Anyway, like I said, I think this book is the best in the series so far. And that's all about I will say.
Cheers.
January 2, 2015
I know I'm not reading these in the order in which their written, and frankly, I don't think they need to be. There's enough information within the individual stories themselves that they stand-alone pretty well. So far, this one was my favorite. Maybe it's because I lived in Turkey and spent time in Istanbul on multiple occasions. I also appreciated the romance hinted at here between Garin and Annja. I'd like to see how that develops at some point. And I enjoyed meeting Charlie, and expect that he'll show up in later books. But I'm not in love with the writing style. We'll see if I dive into anymore after this round of reviews.
Read
May 26, 2014LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVED this one. It grabbed my attention right off the bat and never let go. I absolutely adore the interaction between the main character and her two supporting characters in each of the books. Even though this is a series you can read them out of order. Except you need to read the first one to know certain things but after that I think it is ok to read them out of order. I however cannot do that. Drives me bonkers to read out of order.
December 30, 2009
Wow.. there was almost some character development with Roux in this one! But. alas. It was just a storyline. And why didn't we find out about what happened to the movie?! And what was with the guys with the tattoos of swords on their necks? Good things can come from these books, but they don't always come through. It's just Tomb Raider type stuff.
April 10, 2016
Still a good Rogue Angel read with all the expected ingredients but somehow it fails to hit the mark, perhaps it is that the first 20% of the story is padding trying to make Garin a romantic interest. If we wanted a romance we would have bought one. We want swords, guns and a chase to solve a mystery.
Lost a star for an attempt to contrive a romance.
Lost a star for an attempt to contrive a romance.
January 13, 2010
Mystery an storyline were great. Great pace and this book had a lot of character development involving Annja, Garin, and Roux both personally and as a family. It ranks high up there for favorites in the series so far.
September 20, 2013
What was this??? Where did the series go?? Can we say x-men ripoff? Ok this was just odd and while I do like this series this one went a bit too too too far... This was more plug and play action series book :::sigh::: hopefully this series gets better! On to the next...t
June 2, 2014
Something about this story just wasn't as good as others. Lots of different locations, lots of gunfights and cars exploding, a missing and powerful relic, but... This was a 2.5, mostly for the development of the relationship with Garin.
May 27, 2012
Seems to have ended so abruptly... The whole journey was wonderful, and then it got to the end..and that was that.
July 19, 2013
Much, much, much better than the previous book.
September 20, 2013
This is #13 in the series and it does not disappoint.
September 22, 2016
Another highly enjoyable entry in the series. Lucky number 13! See reviews for 1 - 12, more of the same.
Read
January 16, 2017Interesting story! Never read science fiction before. A nice surprise. Number 13 in the series.
September 16, 2008
It was a very fast action,good girl hereo to save the world.
April 29, 2017
I love the history in the book and the way the places are described. If you love historical fiction with a bit of real history mixed in this is for you.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews